Selecting The Right Toothpaste

Selecting The Right Toothpaste

May 15, 2016

Blog

Selecting The Right Toothpaste

You don’t need to visit a family dentistry in Beaverton to know the importance or regularly brushing. In addition to scheduling regular cleanings and exams with the friendly staff at Murray Scholls Family Dental, brushing and flossing daily ranks as the most important habits you can have to protect the long-term health of your teeth and gums.

Of course, brushing requires selecting the right brand of toothpaste for your oral health needs. A walk down the toothpaste isle at the local grocery store or pharmacy will provide you a seemingly endless number of options that range from tartar control to whitening to cavity protection. Your options can become so numerous that it’s easy to assume that one brand is just as good as another. This makes going the generic route a tempting option in order to give your wallet a break. But do generic brands of toothpaste offer the same protection as the more expensive options? Let us take a look.

Find the American Dental Association Seal of Approval

The first thing to examine when selecting a toothbrush is whether the brand carries the ADA’s seal of approval. While you might consider this a small matter of importance, the ADA seals guarantees that a product has been tested and approved by the ADA to ensure “the product has been objectively evaluated for safety and effectiveness by an independent body of scientific experts, the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs,” assures the ADA’s website.

Examine the List of Ingredients

Next, take the time to compared the active ingredient in the generic products you’re considering purchasing with that of a name brand product to see the similarities.

A quality toothpaste should have fluoride listed as an active ingredient, along with such other helpful compounds as triclosan, pyrophosphates and zinc citrate. Some additives designed to help scrub your teeth clean during brushing can actually damage tooth enamel if too abrasive. By comparing brands, you can feel better knowing that the ingredients in a cheaper toothpaste are similar to those found in more expensive varieties.

Ask Your Family Dentistry in Beaverton for Recommendations

After you’ve examined the packaging for the list of active ingredients, you may want to consider speaking with a member of our staff at Murray Scholls Family Dental about the product you’re considering buying. Our helpful staff will happily provide you with our recommendations for good toothpaste values that we consider effective at preventing decay and gum disease.

While the brand of toothpaste you buy typically doesn’t matter, buying a brand that you like does. If you don’t care for the flavor or the feel of a certain brand to toothpaste it may make it easier for you to avoid brushing regularly. If that’s the case, it certainly makes sense to buy whatever brand you enjoy using.